Sofia is a relatively small and manageable place especially the downtown/central part. However, make sure you look both ways before you cross the street. Bulgarians may not need to wait for the green light to cross in any form of transport, and unless you know other techniques, just follow the traffic rules. Sofia's tramway system was officially opened in 1901 and extends 222 km. It is Bulgaria's only tramway system. It operates both on street and on private right of way. In the following sections, we have attempted to give you a brief synopsis of Sofia's Travel Guide.

The centre of Sofia is more accessible by bus , tram or trolley due to the shortage of parking spaces in the city's centre.

A few good tips on transport and travel in Sofia and this Sofia Transport Guide will tell you all you need to know about travelling in and around Sofia. Use our Sofia Destination Guide or click on our Bulgaria Transportation Guide if you want to know more about travelling to beautiful Sofia or Bulgaria.

Sofia Transportation Guide

Most places of traveller interest are located so close to each other within the city centre that you may well decide Sofia is best explored on foot. You can amble at your own leisure alongside boulevards and ancient palaces, centres of learning and prayer, classic Bulgarian homes and lively restaurants and cafes. But if you need more options for getting around, those are easily available as well.

International Connections

Sofia's strategic physical location in Europe makes it a key junction for international automobile and railway routes. The city has 8 railway stations, and trans-national trains provide several connections to Sofia, arriving from such places as Istanbul, Vienna and Athens.

Sofia also has the Centre for Flight Control and the national carrier Bulgaria Air has Sofia Airport as its main hub. Trans-European Transport Corridors cross the city: 4, 8 and 10. There are several connections a day to Vienna, and daily flights to some of the major European hubs.

Sofia International Airport - Information

International Departures - 937 22 11
International Arrivals - 937 22 12
Domestic Flights - 937 22 13
V.I.P. - 937 21 91
Lost luggage - 937 24 91
Police Duty Officer - 937 30 30

Public Transport in Sofia

Public transport is extensive, with underground trains (Sofia Metro), buses, trams and trolley buses. Trolley buses and regular buses run from about 5 a.m. until midnight, and trams run until 1 a.m., so there's nothing coming between you and the night life! Tickets are typically for a single trip and can be bought from kiosks at bigger stops, news-stands and in the driver's cabin. Just punch the ticket when you board the vehicle. You may be required to buy a new ticket if you wish to make a transfer. And consider yourself warned - tickets are often randomly inspected by the conductor. For tired feet, there are nearly 15,000 licensed cabs plying the main roads of the city too.

Major Tramlines in Sofia

Line No. 1 and 7: Route passes through the Central Railway Station, Sheraton Hotel, and Vitosha Blvd.
Line No. 2, 12 and 19: Route passes through the Central Railway Station, Graf Ignatiev St, Zhurnalish Square in Losetets.
Line No. 6 and 9: Route passes through the Central Railway Station, the National Palace of Culture underpass, Losenets area.
Line No. 5: Route runs from the National History Museum down Tsar Boris 3rd Blvd to Knyazhevo area.

Major Bus Lines in Sofia

Line No. 84: Runs from the Airport to Sofia University.
Line No. 213 and 313: Run from the Central Railway Station through "Lavov Most" (Lion's Bridge) down Tsarigradsko Shousse Blvd to Mladost area.
Line No. 280: Runs from Sofia University down Tsarigradsko Shousse Blvd to Darvenitsa area and Student Town.
Line No. 94: Runs from Sofia University through Losenets area to Darvenitsa area and Student Town.

Major Trolley Bus Lines in Sofia

Line No. 1: Runs from Banishora area (near the Central Railway Station) down Opalchenska St through the national Palace of Culture underpass to Sofia University.
Line No. 2: Runs from Hadji Dimitar area through Sofia University down patriarch Evtimii Blvd by the Medical Academy to Borovo area.
Line No. 5: Runs from Banishora area (near the Central Railway Station) down Opalchenska St through the national Palace of Culture underpass to Mladost area.
Line No. 9: Runs from Slivnitsa Blvd down Rakovski St down Patriarch Evtimii Blvd to Borovo area.

Railway Information in Sofia

Central Railway Station (Maria Luisa Blvd. Tel. 931-11-11, 932-33-33)

Train tickets internal lines - tel. 932-22-70, 932-23-70
Sleepers internal lines - tel. 932-20-90

National Palace of Culture (underpass)

Internal lines information tel. - 865-84-02, 932-42-80
International lines information - tel. 865-71-86, 932-42-93
Train tickets and beds on internal lines - tel. 865-91-08

Rila International Passenger Office (5 Gurko Street, Tel. 9875935)

Information - tel. 987-07-77, 932-52-73
Train tickets internal lines - tel. 987-02-22, 932-55-31

Driving Around

You could hire a car a la any other European city and drive around, but the capital's traffic jams and patches of pollution can prove to be a damper. Besides, planned parking spaces are a luxury. New subway lines targeted to be completed by 2008 should solve some of this chaos in the future.

Taxi Services in Sofia

Some cabs are OK! As you leave the airport (and elsewhere as well), it's best to use only licensed cabs rather than unregulated ones that will try to make a quick buck. The licensed cabs are yellow in colour with the words ‘OK' posted on them in blue.

- OK Supertrans - 987 21 21
- Sofia Taxi - 947 74 74
- Ricars Taxi - 91 114
- SOFTAXI - 91 110
- Inex - 91 919
- YES Taxi - 91 119
- I Taxi - 12 82
- Taxi-S-Express - 12 80
- Radio CV Taxi - 91 263
- Fares range in price from 0.39 - 0.55 BGN per km.